Two men have been arrested in counter-terrorism raids in Sydney. Police thwarted what they say were plots to attack locations including the Royal Australian Navy base at Woolloomooloo Bay (pictured) and state police headquarters in the west of the city.

Both men came from suburbs in the city’s outer west. Abdullah Salihy, 24, was arrested at Memorial Avenue in Merrylands and Mohamed Almaouie, 20, was arrested in Bankstown.

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Salihy has been charged with one count of collecting or making documents likely to facilitate terrorist acts – a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment.

Police said in a statement they would allege in court that this charge related to documents seized as part of ongoing investigations driven by counter-terrorism Operation Appleby in December 2014.

Almaouie was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit acts done in preparation, or planning, terrorist acts – a charge that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

This charge also concerns material seized by Operation Appleby investigators last December.

Five other men were charged with the same offence earlier this month in relation to the same documents. Neither of those charged has yet appeared in court.

According to ABC News, Deputy NSW Police Commissioner Catherine Burn said there was no specific threat to the community but that a naval base on Sydney Harbour was among the locations the suspects had discussed.

“In there, Woolloomooloo naval base was one of the locations that were discussed, but there wasn’t a specific place identified,” Deputy Commissioner Burn said.

She said the police investigation disrupted the planned terrorism plot.